Yeah it's a good song, without reaching great heights. Without Lennon's additions in the chorus, the song would be another Paulie Pepper filler (like Getting Better, When I'm 64 and Rita). Good filler, I know, but filler still.

[quote by=Maria link=Blah.pl?b=albums,m=1081418559,s=44 date=1091518543]Yeah it's a good song, without reaching great heights. Without Lennon's additions in the chorus, the song would be another Paulie Pepper filler (like Getting Better, When I'm 64 and Rita). Good filler, I know, but filler still.[/quote]

Wait, which song is filler? I lost you there.

And please tell me what qualifies a song as "filler". I know you said good filler, but I think Lovely Rita, 64, and Getting Better are pretty strong songs. Lovely Rita is one of the funniest songs to listen to, especially with all that alliteration and assonance in it.

I'd have to say that my fave 3 are (in no particular order)...Getting BetterSPLHCB/With a Little Help from my FriendsShe's Leaving Home

In response to the debate about "filler"... I can see why Maria would say that "When I'm 64" is filler, since it's just a cute little fun song, I guess you could say. "Lovely Rita"--maybe. But it can stand on its own pretty well. And "Getting Better"? Not filler at all, IMO. It can stand on its own completely, and it's message is pretty uplifting. The song itself has great harmonies and the lyrics aren't always just for fun, like they are in "When I'm 64," for example. I mean, when Smash Mouth covered the song, they even cut out the whole "I used to be cruel to my woman, I'd beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved..." verse. I wouldn't consider a song with words like that "filler."

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&quot;I see the sun again, I ain't ever lookin' back,All the dreams are comin' true as I think of you,Now there's nothing in the way to stop me heading for the light.&quot;

[quote by=The_Word link=Blah.pl?b=albums,m=1081418559,s=49 date=1091604124]In response to the debate about "filler"... I can see why Maria would say that "When I'm 64" is filler, since it's just a cute little fun song, I guess you could say. "Lovely Rita"--maybe. But it can stand on its own pretty well. And "Getting Better"? Not filler at all, IMO. It can stand on its own completely, and it's message is pretty uplifting. The song itself has great harmonies and the lyrics aren't always just for fun, like they are in "When I'm 64," for example. I mean, when Smash Mouth covered the song, they even cut out the whole "I used to be cruel to my woman, I'd beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved..." verse. I wouldn't consider a song with words like that "filler."[/quote]

I agree, Janice.I also think Mr.Kite is fillerish but Lennon fans may find that hard to swallow.

There's so much classification of filler in Sgt. Pepper that I'm wondering what some of you think are the stand-out songs. At this rate, only the title track and A Day In The Life are "non-filler".

I'm trying to find out what you guys consider filler and why. Maria totally missed the mark of explaining anything, so I pretty much skipped her post. I always thought of She's Leaving Home, Lovely Rita, and 64 as three of the stronger songs on the album.

I don't agree with this:[quote by=Maria link=Blah.pl?b=albums,m=1081418559,s=53 date=1091690485]Getting Better: A filler, but good filler (as I said before). Saved brilliantly by John's "It can't get no worse" and "I used to be cruel to my woman ....etc etc" pieces.[/quote]If John saved the song, how is it still filler? I'm not trying to challenge you in any way; I just want to hear your reasons.

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&quot;I see the sun again, I ain't ever lookin' back,All the dreams are comin' true as I think of you,Now there's nothing in the way to stop me heading for the light.&quot;

"Fixing A Hole: I regard this as Paul's only psychedelic track - ever - and it's a good one. Love the lead guitar."

Im sorry, but this is total nonsesne.Penny Lane? Magical Mystery Tour? Sgt Pepper? Carnival of Light? Yellow Submarine? ..Just because its not in your face psychedelia, does not mean its not there.

She's Leaving Home: A middle-class story about a middle-class rebel. Saved by John's contributions to the chorus ("we didn't know it was wrong", "fun is the one thing ...." etc)

Saved? erm..no.What does Saved mean exactly?Its a great song regardless of Johns input, although it does add another dimension.Still, I'd put it in the same catergory as Eleanor Rigby and For No One.....Classic songs.

I realised your Song Explanation was pretty John-Biased Maria..but that is expected on this forum.

[quote by=IndicaWalrus link=Blah.pl?b=albums,m=1081418559,s=55 date=1091707186]"Fixing A Hole: I regard this as Paul's only psychedelic track - ever - and it's a good one. Love the lead guitar."

Im sorry, but this is total nonsesne.Penny Lane? Magical Mystery Tour? Sgt Pepper? Carnival of Light? Yellow Submarine? ..Just because its not in your face psychedelia, does not mean its not there.

She's Leaving Home: A middle-class story about a middle-class rebel. Saved by John's contributions to the chorus ("we didn't know it was wrong", "fun is the one thing ...." etc)

Saved? erm..no.What does Saved mean exactly?Its a great song regardless of Johns input, although it does add another dimension.Still, I'd put it in the same catergory as Eleanor Rigby and For No One.....Classic songs.

I realised your Song Explanation was pretty John-Biased Maria..but that is expected on this forum.[/quote]

Leaving out Carnival Of Light (which I've not heard, except for a snippet), those other songs are not, in my opinion, psychedelic. I don't know what else to say!

As for She's Leaving Home, it lacks the subtlety of Rigby and For No One. Paul liked to tell a story: he does so in Leaving Home. In Rigby, he's not telling a story, but decrying loneliness, and sad wasted lives: there's a bit of a story-line there, but it's a vehice for making a point. For No One has no story -- it describes (brilliantly) the attitudes of both lovers when the affair is over.

Leaving Home is too linear: She leaves, they find out, she meets her man. Parents regret, she doesn't seem to (but see below). End.

However, I will say that the touch "leaving the note that she hoped would say more" is very nice. You see, the song is OK -- it's simply not a top notch Beatle song!

If you think those three songs are three of the stronger songs on Pepper, then I think you miss the point of Beatle music. So here we go with what I think of Pepper's tracks: I think that if you think that, then you really don't know how to agree to disagree. Obviously the whole board must not know the point of Beatles music since you've gotten a dozen people to disagree with you

Sgt Pepper's LHCB: A good opener, but nothing special about the song. I love the mono version's more up-front guitar. I love Paul's voice in this, for one -- that's something it has going for it. And you're right, it is a good opener, but maybe it IS a filler since it is pretty essential in the album. I do, however, enjoy it as much as, say, It Won't Be Long, I don't consider IWBL filler.

With A Little Help: A wonderful track, setting a good mood. Perfect vehicle for Ringo. Yes.

Lucy: All-time Beatle masterpiece, and it can still send shivers up my spine. Thanks to Paul for suggesting to John how best to sing it (elide the words, dreamily). Mono version sounds better for me. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds doesn't do it for me like the other songs in this album, if you know what I mean. I like it, but it never quite moved me, perhaps because I may have had to have been alive and experience this when it first came out to know where you're coming from. But since I don't, I do not consider this a masterpiece as much as I consider it a solid Lennon song.

Getting Better: A filler, but good filler (as I said before). Saved brilliantly by John's "It can't get no worse" and "I used to be cruel to my woman ....etc etc" pieces. Like others have said, just because he repeats "Getting Better" a lot, it does not make it filler. It's a very enjoyable song, but like you said, you must like it to to call it GOOD filler. I just don't think that's the case.

Fixing A Hole: I regard this as Paul's only psychedelic track - ever - and it's a good one. Love the lead guitar. I'll refer you to Indica's comments.

She's Leaving Home: A middle-class story about a middle-class rebel. Saved by John's contributions to the chorus ("we didn't know it was wrong", "fun is the one thing ...." etc) You also said in another thread that the song was too linear. First off, I do agree that I adored John's singing in this, but the Beatles were a TEAM. They wrote a LOT of songs together, and this is an example of how they acted as a team -- Lennon's voice was obviously the best for this part. They could have easily put Paul's vocals in twice, but he doesn't have that voice to do the part, just like it wouldn't make sense for Harrison to sing Octopus' Garden.

A team effort, and one of my favorite songs to listen to. My science teacher from back in 5th grade, for instance, said this song was one of her favorites to listen to growing up, and I don't think filler would have that kind of effect. I also don't understand this "linear" argument... the song is supposed to be a story. Why should every song have that Eleanor Rigby touch to it by using a story as a vehicle for driving a point? The fact that it ISN'T immitating that masterpiece is great, as Paul is not using the same formula as before.

Mr Kite: Nice psychedelia. Heavy-sounding lyrics, great creation of atmosphere. Yes, but this ISN'T filler? Mr. Kite is very nice, but isn't as nice as She's Leaving Home, 64, or Rita.

Within You Without You: I know I'm in a minority, but I think this is another all-time Beatle masterpiece. This is a densely-packed five minutes of music played on a variety of east-and-west instruments that beseech and plead through words that are ... well, wise words. I never was too big of a fan of this piece, so I'll refrain from saying anythign about it.

64: Did someone wedge this ditty after Within You to show up Paul's emptiness? Wouldn't surprise me! The funnest song to listen to in this album, When I'm 64 is NOT filler. It's fun to sing, fun to play, fun to listen to, and one of the best on the album.

Rita: A very cool song in the way it's played. But the lyrics ... it's filler (but good, as I said before) I don't really care if the lyrics aren't like Yesterday or Eleanor Rigby or For No One... this song relies on alliteration and consonance, and is excuted brilliantly. Well done, Paul!

Good Morning: A bustling, busy, back-in-time, forward-in-time classic. Not a classic IMHO. Definitely not much better than any of the other "good fillers" you mentioned

SPLHCB reprise: Kind of cute, but well done. On ya Paulie. Agreed.

A Day In The Life: One of the great Beatle maserpieces, maybe their greatest. Still get the goosebumps as John gently sings "I read the news today, oh boy" Yes, but you could say PAUL saved this. John couldn't think of the middle-eight, so Paul made up the "Woke up, got out of bed" part. It was kinda needed, because it was something different from what John was singing, and John and Paul worked as a team, because as soon as Paul uttered the lyrics "Somebody spoke and I went into a dream," John chimes in with that "ahhhh" part. If Paul didn't do that, it wouldn't have the same effect.